The Initative: Storm Front
by Impurest Cheese
Summary: As change grips the Initiative a team is dispatched to the ruins of Asgard to help investigate an increase in unusual activity. Little do they know that this mission could spell the end of humanity. Set between FOM: Part 11 and Asgard Offensive Epilogue
1. Prolouge: The Hours before Dawn

**Camp Hammond, Connecticut - 04:59AM**

On the bed-side table the clock flickered from 4:49 to 5:00 and the radio alarm activated sending the sounds of some forgotten seventies rock group. The man stirred and slammed his hand down on the clock turning the music off. Stretching he got up and dressed quickly before leaving the room and heading out into the corridor. This early morning sneaking had become a ritual for a man now more then ever who couldn't show weakness. He knew the way to his location all too well crossing the large training field before coming to what the residents called 'The Wall of the Dead'. The man knew all of the faces all to well but it was the last most recent section of the wall he was most interested in. Numerous Security and Support staff had been killed as had nine of the people he had been directly responsible for. The Taskmaster his face covered with a white skull like mask touched the portraits of the dead; Asp, Omicron, Asylum, Melee, Puff Adder, Crossfire, The Answer and The Human Cannonball would all be missed but it was Violet who really drew him down here. Her's was the only portrait he wouldn't touch, it just seemed wrong, in the brief time he had known her she had become a valuable assistant and the closest thing he had to a friend.

"Sorry Violet," he said to himself, "I should never have dragged you into this." From down the hall the sound of clicking boots could be heard and Tony reached for his sidearm, past experience told him that the Initiative had more enemies after it's separation from HAMMER then it had before. Stepping into the half light of the bewitched candles that floated around the board was the formally seductive from of Tanya Sealy. Like him she had let herself go over the attack, it had been over a month ago and while most physical injuries had healed it was clear that a lot of people were still carrying mental ones.

"Can I sit here?" she asked. Tony nodded and watched as she stared at the portrait of Asp, the former B.A.D girl had been laughing when the photo taken.

"I'm the last one left." Black Mamba told Tony, "Cleo died here and if what Songbird said was true then Rachel's dead as well. Do you know the funny thing, the day Cleo died was her birthday, we were leaving with Man Killer to celebrate when they killed her. I saw them sitting in the darkness and I did F all to mak esure she was safe. This is the first time I've been able to come down and face her since then."

"I do this every morning," Tony replied, "I tell Violet what happened yesterday, what I did, like the joke Puma said at Lunch or how Vector accidently hit himself with a Jeep in training. Just to keep her in the loop you know."

"Sounds like you loved her," Mamba answered, "Not like that," she added as Tony turned for the first time to look at her, "Like the love me and Cleo had, somebody who you would trust with your life, the person who when you went down would pick you up again."

"Sounds like Violet." Tony muttered, "Mamba I need to ask a favour of you."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Yesterday evening Carrion hit San Francisco. I'm going to send a team out to aid with the search and rescue and to help prevent anybody taking advantage of the situation. As such the team will be hero-villain team ups." Tony explained.

"You want me to go out and help clean up." Mamba replied.

"No your powers would be next to useless out there, what I want you to do is to clean up and head to this address. It's Violet's parents house I just want to know if they are all right, one you know tell me so I can tell her they are all right." Tony asked.

"Can I say one thing?" Mamba asked

"Go ahead training starts at 6:00 so now I'm just another human being." Tony told her.

"I understand that it hurts but you may want to talk to Trauma, he holds a victim support group, it may be beneficial for you to see him."

"Noted and now I have to ask you something. I made a choice based on my feelings, to try and turn this place into something good again. Tell me Tanya did I make the right choice, I've asked Trauma, Physique and Frank before he left and they all said yes but I now have my doubts. Hell even Blitzschlag told me that splitting from the Initiative was a good thing but am I really making a difference here?"

"I was going to leave, Cleo and I were going to run away from her and find Rachel start the B.A.D Girls up again, maybe even see if other people wanted to join, and go fight Osborne in our own little way. After Cleo died after you gave everyone who wanted to leave permission to head out I stayed, Cleo died because of me and now I want to be the hero, a proper one and for that I needed to stay here. You made a decision few others would even dream of, just give it time and I'm sure that something good will come out of this." she smiled and looked at the picture of Asp, "Thank you Cleo, I'm going to make you and Rachel proud."

* * *

><p><strong>Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - 04:14AM<strong>

Alarms were ringing in Oklahoma City as the five members of F5 arrived at the same shopping centre where the Taskmaster had announced the team weeks before. Somebody had been foolish to break in to one of the few areas connected to the team's remote alarm surveillance system. This was the big break they had been waiting for, it wasn't common criminals breaking into the stores but costumed super villains.

"Typical my second to last day and we finally get some credible action." Jason the team leader grunted. The Taskmaster had come through on his promise and the replacement leader for F5 would be arriving. In truth the American Eagle wouldn't miss the other members, Cyclone was at best unwilling and Tempest was barley around often vanishing for hours at a time. Glow Worm on the other hand was always around but ultimately she was too loyal to HAMMER to be serious company. At least Bison made the effort to be friendly; he of all the members had gained some credit with the community and Jason had to admire that. Still it wasn't time to dwell on that, 'his' team was about to get its first real test. The police had already arrived but it was clear from the damage to the patrol cars and the bodies being carried to the ambulance that those inside were not going to go down quietly.

"What do we know Chief?" Jason asked the fat chief of police as he ducked behind a SWAT van as a blast of energy flew overhead.

"Five of them, probably those so called heros F5." he spluttered before looking over his shoulder to see the team he had blamed standing behind him, "Oh sorry I didn't know it was you guys." he lied.

"I take it we're going in blind then." Cyclone spat, "Because tubby here managed to rule out us but obviously knows nothing else apart from how to eat doughnuts."

"Cyclone behave yourself." Jason snapped, "I'm sorry about him chief." he apologized unconvincingly.

"Do you want me to do recon?" Tempest asked, "I can be in and out in seconds with names and powers." she added stroking his face her cold hands sending chills down his body.

"It would be wise," Jason replied, "You have three minutes, yell if you're in trouble." Tempest smiled and flew towards the shopping centre disappearing through one of the walls. The next forty five seconds were tense, Tempest was stealthy but she wasn't invisible and they had no idea who or what was inside, but eventually she re-emerged sticking her head out of the tarmac and making the police chief curse and shoot off two rounds that harmlessly impacted with the tarmac.

"Five targets all dressed like insects, I ID two right off the bat, one is that woman who's been calling herself the Beetle and the other is Dragonfly, but I didn't recognize any of the others." Tempest told them, "I got some names though the others are Doc Hopper, Stink Bug and Wire Worm."

"Doc Hopper has been laying low for a while; I'm surprised he came back." Jason commented, "Stink Bug is a low level mercenary, pretty pathetic he occasionally worked for people like the Shocker and Scorpion but they sent word round that he's useless."

"And Wire Worm?" Bison asked

"No Clue but I'm guessing we can take him, okay everybody remember your training and that the whole state is watching you." Jason instructed the others, "Okay F5 let's blow these guys away."

"We seriously need a better publicist." Cyclone announced, "That stinks worse then anything I ever heard before."

As F5 entered the shopping centre they passed a high end jewellery store the windows still intact and the products still on display. This trend continued apart from a few mangled security gates and a broken window there was no sign that anything had been touched.

"Okay these guys are officially the worst criminals in the world." Glow Worm commented.

"Something's bugging me." Bison said, "Call it instincts but does any of this feel like a trap."

"To much at the moment, lure us here with some alarms and reports of a break in only for us to find that nothings been stolen." Jason answered, "Are you sure your recon was accurate?" he asked Tempest.

"The two I recognized were the Beetle and Dragonfly and the others names were thrown around. What's really strange is that these shops were virtually cleaned out when I blew through her earlier."

"I don't like this, lets just find these guys and get out of here as soon as possible." Bison stated.

"We can't it's our duty." Cyclone said mockingly. It was then when the attack came from the ceiling, a big flat disc almost like a bouncing betty fell from the ceiling and detonated blinding and disorientating the Initiative Team, Jason yelled something but he knew the others wouldn't here. In front of him he saw a silhouette and felt a sharp punch impact with his face before feeling the warm trickle of blood running down his nose.

"That's for calling me pathetic." the assailant told him in as he got ready for a second punch.

* * *

><p><strong>Camp Hammond, Connecticut - 05:55AM<strong>

Tony trudged back to his room; he had left Black Mamba alone and hit the mess before the majority of the trainees woke up to get something that tasted remotely edible. Today was a big day despite the problems and fluctuating number of recruits he had created a new team for the state of Nevada know by the team leader Jackpot as the Lucky 7. In addition he also had to announce the team that was going into the field to help search and rescue in San Francisco. Reluctantly he had appointed Vector as field leader, Tony had to admit that he had been surprised that the U-Foes had stayed with the Initiative but for now he was glad of it, many of the Hood's Gang had left due to the position of 'hero' being less lucrative then that of a villain. In addition to Vector; X-Ray, Ossuary, Joystick, Ripcord and the new Coldheart were being deployed to aid in the rescue attempt. While X-Ray and Vector were less then trustworthy Ossuary and Ripcord were making progress in redeeming themselves and had been given instructions to take down the U-Foes if they caused trouble. There was something else happening today Gauntlet was coming back and Tony after much deliberation had chosen to hand control of Camp Hammond back to him and take the position of team leader of the Oklahoma Team F5.

Entering the room Tony sniffed the air, he smelt smoke something in his room was burning, it smelt suspiciously like incense something he knew he didn't have in his room. From the smoke two figures emerged and Tony realized that he knew them both, the man creating the smoke was Brother Voodoo rumoured to be the Sorcerer Supreme the other was Doctor Strange a man that needed little invitation, Tony knew both by reputation.

"Mr. Masters we have come to ask for help." Voodoo asked.

Tony was confused, technically had had promised that the Initiative would not chase unregistered heros as long as they were not a danger but Voodoo had been identified helping the criminal Songbird and her terrorist Thunderbolts.

"What do you need?" Tony asked trying to buy time so he could sort out his dilemma.

"Asgard is becoming a problem, we tried to tell Osborne but he wouldn't listen and set his Avengers on us." Strange explained, "Something evil is stirring there, we did some research and we have credible evidence that the Enchantress is raising an army in the catacombs. An army that will make Carrion's attacks look like a peaceful protest in comparison."

"And Osborne didn't take your advice." Tony said his eyes narrowing behind his mask.

"That's the problem Osborne's Aura suggests that he is home to more then one soul, and that both are equally corrosive." Voodoo explained, "We're not asking for much, just assistance from the local team you have stationed there while we try and deal with this problem before it get's out of hand."

Tony thought for a second, from what he knew about the sorcerers neither Voodoo or Strange were known for lying and to be honest the ruins of Asgard had been, in his eyes, a ticking time bomb taking up a prime slab of real estate in the middle of the Oklahoma countryside.

"I'm going to Oklahoma myself later, if what you say is true your going to need backup." Tony replied, "I'm willing to give you everyone you need" he added, "for a price."

"Your blackmailing us for money." Strange said angrily.

"No," Tony replied, "Something completely different ."

* * *

><p>The Characters of Glow-Worm III, Stink Bug and Wire Worm are my own origonal creations and are not owned by Marvel Comics<p> 


	2. Enthralled

Jason opened his eyes and looked around the elegant chamber, decorated with elegant columns and filled with ancient weaponry. Struggling he felt a quick electric shock run through his body and saw that he was bound with a thin wire that coursed with electricity every time he tried to breathe. Cyclone, Bison and Glow Worm seemed to be in a similar position while Tempest was nowhere to be seen. Behind him a slab of rock carved to look like an altar or table glowed menacingly under the indigo cealing.

"Well looks like the new recruits are awake," The Beetle mocked, "the boss will be happy with our haul today."

"I don't know I think we could have done better." Stink Bug said stroking Glow-Worm's chin as his armor glinted in the twilight of the chamber.

"It doesn't matter about quality at the moment, the boss needs quantity." the Beetle explained.

"Hell they took you." Wire Worm joked his voice buzzing. Stink Bug responded by smashing Wire Worm around the face with his shield slicing off the bully's arm.

"Stop making fun of me." he ordered, "I was the first and I should be in charge of this little operation, I mean in charge under the boss. My first order is to put yourself back together." Wire Worm crouched down and watched as his arm disintegrated into a swam of maggots and slithered back into his body. Seconds later the grubs were slithering along his arm before hardening to form a human arm and hand.

"That defiantly tops the gross factor." Glow Worm moaned.

"Who said you could talk?" The Beetle asked slapping her around the face, "You might be right Jonas these donors are a little too talkative."

"You know what the boss said though; any body will do until they can get some better quality material." Dragonfly countered, "Doc is the process ready to start?"

"Five minutes," Doc Hopper confirmed, "and then they will be the boss's for ever."

Jason wondered who the boss was; he struggled again only to receive a strong electric shock. Looking over at the others he wondered where Tempest was and if she had either escaped or had led them into this trap. From outside the chamber there was a commotion and the Beetle looked up from one of the mysterious symbols etched on the floor.

"You two," she ordered Dragonfly and Wire Worm, "go check that noise out." The two insect themed super-villains headed out into the corridor just as a breath of wind blew through the door.

"You know what I want to know?" Stinkbug asked.

"I want to know why I have to work with an imbecile like you." Doc Hopper replied.

"Now Doc don't be mean." Beetle chided the doctor, "I'm sure Jonas had a reasonably good reason for his stupid comments"

"It's why the boss chose this draughty fire trap of a ruin as a base. I mean I spent my time running from Spiderman or Daredevil through warehouses and office buildings and I have to say most of them were nicer then this dump." Stink Bug told them.

"I have a question," Cyclone asked, "Is there an opening in your organization because I was thinking of joining if there was."

Stinkbug and Beetle laughed at the proposal before Beetle went over and looked into his eyes, "Don't worry you will be joining just like we did." she slapped him hard around the face, "Now shut up and let the doc think, that goes for you two Jonas." Jason was worried, these guys should have been a cake walk, true the Wire Worm was an unknown and the Beetle at a pinch would be a deadly foe, but Dragonfly was defiantly a C List Villain and Doctor Hopper and Stinkbug would be lucky to be classed as Z listers but instead this team had taken his own in a single move. Cold hands suddenly clamped around his own and he felt the wire's electrical current short out as he covertly broke free.

"Tempest?" he asked

"Shut up." Stink Bug said as he sulked in the corner.

"Yes," she whispered silently, "It took me a while to find this place."

"Get the others." he replied.

"Okay that's it I'm closing that mouth for you." Stinkbug said pulling out a smoke bomb, "this will teach you to speak when you should be silent." he went to stuff the bomb in Jason's mouth only to receive a swift punch to the jaw, "Your not meant to be free." he said in horror.

"Oh but we are." Jason replied as Glow Worm and Bison stood up freed by Tempest. F5 let's cart these guys back to their new home, in the Negative Zone."

"Not today hero." Stink Bug replied emitting a cloud of green gas that blinded everyone in the room. Quickly Tempest cleared the room with a quick gust of wind to reveal that Stink Bug had left Doctor Hopper and the Beetle to fend for themselves.

"You fucking basted." the Beetle called charging up a large cannon like attachment to her suit. Quickly she fired a blast of energy that ricocheted off on of the columns. Glow-Worm flew at her and smacked the armoured super-villain in the face. "That's for slapping me," she replied angrily, "and this," she added activating the suit's cutting laser, "is for kidnapping me" she continued cutting through the canon. The beetle retaliated with a swift punch but Glow-Worm caught it and flipped the super-villainess onto her back before delivering a quick blow to the chest that caused the incapacitated villain to moan in pain.

Meanwhile Bison had dealt with Doc Hopper, the scientist's armor scattered in pieces as Bison crushed the suit's electro gauntlets. Walking up to machine he scratched his head and simply gored it with his horn's the electricity sparking and hissing.

"No what were you doing here?" Jason asked the two insect themed villains, "And who is your boss." From the doorway he heard an electrical whine and a blast of electricity hit him sending his body convulsing.

"Honey I'm home and I brought company." Stinkbug stated flanked by Wire Worm and Dragonfly as a massive Tarantula like creature with massive legs sprouting from its back. Everyone meet Kaine, Kaine kill everyone."

The spider like monster screamed as it lashed out with the massive legs pining Bison to the floor while Tempest was caught by an electrical blast from Wire Worm. The Dragonfly was playing a more seductive game as she grabbed Glow Worm and pinned her to the wall, "You don't want to fight Me." she said seductively using her hypnosis powers on the neophyte super-hero. Jason had a problem albeit a minor one of his own as Stinkbug picked up his own Crossbow and shot a bolt at him, Jason dodged and the bolt flew past meters away from its target. Stinkbug quickly followed up with a flurry of punches and Jason blocked every one until he felt a sharp kick impact with his groin, he retaliated with a quick punch which Stinkbug easily dodged.

Bison wrestled with Kaine the Spider Monster spluttering and spitting as he tried to hold back his opponents extra arms.

"Why are you doing this?" Bison asked, "Aren't you a clone of Spider Man or something?"

"I was but now I am just a cog, part of something greater, something you will soon be part of as well." Kaine replied pressing a hand against Bison's chest, the burning mark eating through leather armor and leaving a burning print on his skin. Bellowing in pain Bison lifted the hand off and broke his attackers arm before receiving four stabs in the face. Enraged Bison roared lifting Kaine off the floor and throwing him back towards the door way where the hideous spider-man amalgam twitched before getting back to his feet.

Tempest summoned a wind storm the powerful gusts absorbing the blasts of energy fired at her by Wire Worm. The super villain wrapped in swathes of black even across his face advanced and Tempest watched in horror as he transformed his left hand into a massive hook. Slashing with the weaponized hand Tempest had just enough time to turn intangible as the hook passed through her before smashing on the floor. Turning solid again she realized that she hadn't completely dodged the attack as several maggots begun to crawl oh her skin. Angrily she brushed them off with a quick gust of wind before squashing the crawling creatures. As she did Wire Worm shook with pain as the swarm of maggots fell away from his body revealing a robotic form underneath. Continuing her assault Tempest continued to strike the robot until the pressurized air blast she fired at him severed his arms and legs leaving his torso writhing on the floor.

Glow-Worm looked into Dragonflies eyes with a longing desire, the woman in front of her was beautiful and she would do anything she wanted.

"Now stand their and wait." Dragonfly instructed. Glow-Worm nodded as Dragonfly helped the Beetle to her feet the latter pulling out a smaller hand-gun sized weapon. Something in Glow-Worm's brain clicked and suddenly she realized the danger she was in. Flying at the Beetle she roughly tackled her into a column causing her to drop the gun as Dragonfly tried to pull her off. With an elbow to the face followed by a round-house kick Dragonfly was sent sprawling on the floor. Emerging from the door-way the Spider Creature Kaine emerged leaping towards Bison its spider like legs outstretched. Punching it away Bison continued the counter-attack slamming Kaine into an altar marked with ancient symbols, for a moment his opponent struggled before falling unconscious. Glow-Worm flew over and quickly checked for a pulse as Stink Bug and Jason continued to trade blows.

"He barley has a pulse." she said horror on her voice. "He's breathing but some how he's just entered a coma."

"What have I done?" Bison asked sadly.

"Listen to me, if we can get him to a hospital we can save him." Glow-Worm told Bison, "Tempest where is the nearest hospital?" she asked, "my armour's computer systems are going hay-wire where ever we are." she added as Jason slammed Stink Bug to the ground next to the dropped pistol.

"Anything else left up your sleeves Stink Bug?" Jason asked slamming the criminal's head against the floor.

"Only this." Stink Bug replied reaching for the pistol, Jason stepped on his hand but it was to late, Stink Bug fired a shot that smashed into the ceiling of the chamber they were in. For a second nothing happened but slowly the ceiling darkened and wisps of darkness dropped to the floor transforming into man shaped clouds of darkness their arms ending in cutting blades.

Instantly the new group of attackers lunged at the alter where Bison was trying to move Kaine and stabbed him in the back with his sword causing the former to convulse in pain before dropping to the floor. Tempest and Glow-Worm charged to their fallen team mate's aid as Stink Bug kicked up his boots impacting with Jason's chin as two dark figures turned away from Bison. Glow Worm went down quickly her armour's protection seemingly bypassed by the shadow's sword. Tempest dodged her attackers their blades passing through her as a shadowy figure stabbed Cyclone causing him to scream, "I was going to join you." before falling unconscious. Tempest watched as she dodged her attackers before being tackled by Kaine now seemingly awake and back to full strength.

"Tempest get out of here, warn the others." Jason ordered, "Quickly Tempest flew through the room's ceiling dodging a swarm of grouping hands that were dangling from the roof. Jason threw a punch at Stinkbug only to fall flat on his face as his attacker dodged. Behind him Kaine grabbed him and held him so he could face the door. Emerging from the entrance a woman dressed in Green flanked by men dressed in Asgardian Armor and HAMMER uniforms emerged.

"The Enchantress." Jason spat, "What have you done here?"

"Nothing that should concern you my new thrall, you and your friends are fresh unlike the bulk of Asgard's new army. You will make a good foot-soldier my new thralls." she announced.

"We won't work for you." Jason replied, the Enchantress smiled and Stink Bug smashed him in the ribs.

"It's exactly what the group calling themselves the Swarm of Terror said yet now they are mine." she announced, "Is the machine ready?" she asked as Doctor Hopper coughing got to his feet.

"It's damaged but the extra-dimensional energy siphon is still online." he announced, "We should have enough power to start the conversion."

"Good, place them on the alters, F5 will be the first of many new converts for Lord Loki's Occupation Force." The Enchantress said as Kaine slammed Jason onto the alter he had woken up in-front of. The chamber's walls began to glow purple as black mist crept up from the alters, Jason closed his mouth and held his breath but it made no difference, the mist crawled into his eyes preventing him from seeing anything. Slowly his brain began to die, the only thing he could remember was that he had to obey his new masters and that was all he would ever need to do.


	3. The Coming of War

**Camp Hammonfd, Conneticut - 03:27AM**

"Enemy Squad located." Crossbow whispered as he lay prone in the undergrowth staring through his visor, "Three heat signatures read as Man Killer, Oxide and Slingshot. Seismic vibrations determine that the Abomination is with them. Only Harrier is unaccounted for."

"Good Work Recon we have your coordinates and are heading to attack positions." his team mate replied, "I'm sending Vapour up ahead to create a smokescreen."

"Staying on station Gambit." Crossbow announced, "Be-aware that I'm picking up a large heat signature in the area, far too big to the Abomination."

"I read you Crossbow." Gambit answered as he sat on the forest edge half a click away from Crossbow's recon position. "Okay Vapour move out we're right behind you." he ordered. Silently he kicked himself, he had accepted Scott's decision to send spies into the Initiative so the X-Men could have eyes and ears on Osborne prior to the Taskmasters split with HAMMER. Now he seemed stuck Scott hadn't done a thing to extract him or Domino and now it looked like they would never return to Utopia. Following the barley visible form of Vapour, he led his remaining troops; an Australian mutate named Death Cap and the criminal Whiplash down the forested ridge towards the other team.

"Crossbow give me audio on the targets." he whispered, for a second there was nothing but static but then voices could be heard.

"Harrier do you see anything?" Slingshot asked.

"No the forest is dark, I'm going to do a full spectrum analysis on my next pass just to be sure." Harrier replied.

"Useless men," Man Killer spat, "We don't need their help for this mission. If I was team leader then they would be heading back to camp as we speak."

"Good thing your not Team Leader then." Slingshot commented, "Now stay silent, Abomination once Harrier makes his next pass, go on point your senses are more attuned to the dark."

"Got it Commander." the Abomination replied his British accent cutting through the night like a knife through butter.

"Got something on thermal Slingshot." Harrier reported, "Something big is moving towards Camp Hammond under the earth, estimated size puts it at around sixty foot long."

"Radio it in to the camp commandant, I have a feeling that something bad is about to go down." Slingshot commanded, "Your up Eves lead the way, we'll find them and make them pay."

Gambit smiled slightly, his ploy had worked Vapour's gas cloud had masked their thermal signature and they had the advantage. The large heat signature burned in the back of his mind, he had seen a lot with the X Men and knew that stuff like this often caused trouble. As he headed towards Crossbow's position he felt the seismic vibrations of the unknown infiltrator moving under the soil, small chunks of rock and earth sent flying the soil missiles crossing the pale blue glow of Deathcap's skin the only light in the darkness save the stars. So engrossed in the mystery contact Gambit put his foot down and felt the thing underneath move, looking down he saw Crossbow emerge from under his camouflage coat.

"You made it." Crossbow remarked, "Enemy contacts 200m to our front in a column, Abomination up front followed by Oxide and Man Killer with Harrier doing recon flights over the area with a turn around time of every twenty seconds. Slingshot is on the ridge but we all know how fast she runs so that's not a luxury."

"Well let's surprise them," Gambit said producing a set of cards, "Vapour remove Harrier, Deathcap get ready to help me light up the sky as soon as he's gone." Vapour took to the sky and intercepted Harrier quickly leading him away as he told the others, "Enemy Combatant Engaged."

"Harrier's off station." Crossbow told Gambit.

"Do it now Deathcap." Gambit instructed, quickly Deathcap fired a stream of almost invisible spores into the air. Gambit waited a few seconds and then used his powers lighting up the cards before he threw them into the air. The cards impacted with the spores making the sky glow a dark yellow as purple lightning sparked and popped across the surface. In the half light Gambit saw the other team and behind them silhouetted in the glow a massive creature raising through the training court of Camp Hammond.

"What the hell is that?" Whiplash cursed.

"Crossbow signal the other team that we want a break in the training mission." Gambit ordered, "Vapour tell Harrier that we surrender and to look at the training field." Overhead a red rocket lit up the sky against the yellow background as the massive serpent incinerated one of the sentry towers, reducing men to screaming torches as gunfire echoed through the camp.

"Gambit this is Slingshot, can you see what's happening at the camp." Slingshot asked.

"Yeah I see it burning down the walls," Gambit replied, "Any ideas what that thing is?"

"Any Ideas on what it is?" Slingshot repplied to her team, "No we've got nothing on our side, comms seem down as well."

"Looks like a Lindworm." Crossbow told the others, "Ancient Germanic Well Dragons, this one is bigger then the one's I encountered in the Paris Sewers though, they were only about twenty foot long."

"Slingshot we're heading to you, get on the horn and find out what's going on." Gambit told her as he slid down the ridge to the area of coppiced trees that made up the edge of Camp Hammond. As his team crossed the open ground he saw men clamber onto the burning wall, they must be crazy Gambit thought.

"Get down," Crossbow called jumping to a prone position as the men on the wall opened fire with rifles on the trainees.

"Slingshot get out of the open." Gambit yelled as Harrier and Vapour dodged anti-aircraft fire from down in the burning compound before heading to their position.

"Go, get to cover." the Abomination roared removing the massive chain-gun from his back and opened fire on the men on the wall as Oxide and Mankiller followed Slingshot to Gambit's slightly safer position.

"It's a bit hairy out their no." Gambit asked Slingshot as Eves peppered the enemy combatants with his Chain Gun. "Some training mission huh."

"I didn't sign up for fighting giant snakes, that's for sure." Oxide replied her voice sounding like grating steel, "Do you think anyone inside is alive?" she added as the Abomination arrived at their position, green blood leaking from multiple wounds as he dragged a struggling man into Death Cap's steady blue glow.

"Take a look at this bloke." he told the others. Staring they saw he has two rounds embedded in his skull and another three rounds in the chest yet he was still alive, kept under control by the Abomination's massive hand. "These guys wobble but they don't fall down. Plus they seem to be cold to the touch like they just crawled out of the snow."

"We have to get inside, Giant Snake and hordes of un-killable warriors or not." Slingshot said, "We all have friends and team mates inside that will need out help." she said getting to her feet ready to lead the charge back to Camp Hammond.

* * *

><p><strong>Sand Fransisco, Califronia - 00:27AM<strong>

Vector and Ossuary lifted the massive piece of rubble off the trapped bus using their telekinetic powers. As soon as the slab was clear Joystick rushed in and opened the doors and breathed a sigh of relief. X-Ray and Ossuary's scans had been correct there had been survivors trapped inside the vehicle, an old man and a little girl. Reaching out a hand she helped the man up as Ripcord jumped up the steps and picked up the little girl.

"Just a broken leg." Ripcord said smiling, "Let's get you out of here." she added as the little girl clung to her.

"Is Granddad alright?" the girl asked. Ripcord looked over, the old man had a few bruises and a broken arm but he was going to be fine, "Nothing that a few days in hospital won't cure." she told the girl as they exited the bus. These two had been lucky, only the front two thirds of the bus had been crushed, by sitting at the back the little girl and her granddad had survived. Handing them over to the aid workers the Initiative rescue team sat down on one of the unused troop trucks, thanks to Ripcord's powers they had been working for fifteen hours non stop and were responsible for 102 saved lives. HAMMER still didn't have a presence in San Francisco in fear of in sighting riots in the large mutant community just as they had done back in May.

"Got to say Ripcord I could get used to this permanent energy boost." X-Ray stated, "Even my powers seem to be back in check." It was true X-Ray wasn't flickering on and off again and the level of background radiation he was producing had more then halved.

"Well that's it for now." Vector ordered, "Even rescue teams have to eat."

"Can we really afford a break?" Ossuary asked.

"From what I saw in the harbour it looks like the X-Men have sent a team to help with the search and rescue." Joystick told the others, "They can do without us for an hour at least."

"I suppose keeping strong can help us find more people." Ossuary commented, "I remember helping clean up the streets after Katrina, I don't know where I would rather be."

"This isn't a natural disaster Dale." Ripcord told him, "This was man-made, Carrion did this and I hope they make her pay for what she did."

"I'm in favour for that." Vector answered, "Coldheat," he called on the radio he had in his hand, "How's life in the freezer?" he asked.

"Fine the food should keep for a few more days but after that I have no guarantees. How's the Search and Rescue going."

"Two more to the rescue column." Vector told her, "Black Mamba call in yet?"

"Call came in three minutes ago, she and the X Men team and checking out the snow storm at Fisherman's Wharf. I'm heading there myself ETA is five minutes. Whoa stop, stop." the sound of tyres squealing could be heard followed by gun-fire.

"Cold Heart, Cold Heart come in, Colette answer me what's going on." Vector called. "Great looks like food's going to have to wait, Cold Heart has gotten herself into another situation the bloody Neophyte."

"Anyone notice that it's snowing," X-Ray commented, "and that there's a lot of crows around."

"Well there are dead bodies all over the place." Joystick remarked, "Crow's are scavengers so that's normal."

"What about the snow, it's the middle of August?" X-Ray replied.

"Will you two forget the snow and crows, we have to get Cold Heart unstuck." Vector ordered.

"We're not going anywhere." Ossuary replied, "We are encircled, those birds are ancient evil I can feel it."

"There just birds." Vector responded picking up a brick with his powers and lobbing it at the crows. The projectile struck a mound of crows and the Initiative teams watched as a ball of birds fell to the floor squawking loudly as they flew off. "See just stupid birds." Vector added using his powers to pull the brick back for another throw. He suddenly stopped cold as the crows merged into a single figure clad in HAMMER body armor, its head missing as it drew a baton. All around the team HAMMER agents and dead Asgardians formed from the crows drew batons or unsheathed swords and axes.

"We're encircled." Ossuary said calmly touching one of his totems, his hands bursting into flame. "Clear the front ranks, more form behind." It was true behind the first wave more bodies were forming this time armed with spears and rifles.

Down at Fisherman's Wharf Cold Heart came limping out of the snow and mist her hands clenched round the swords, the once shining blades now covered in black blood. She had to meet up with the X Men if she was going to survive she though as her security escort struggled to keep up, firing back at the mob of attackers as the teams Jeep burnt in the distance. Reaching the dock Cold-Heart looked around for the X-Men, Black Mamba or anyone who didn't seem to be a member of the Walking Dead. Suddenly she spied a figure at the end of the wharf in a hooded rain coat holding a fishing pole.

"Sir you have to get out of here." Cold Heart told him, "We have a security problem and it would be a shame to see you get hurt." she added going through the hero dialogue that had been taught back at Camp Hammond.

"Don't worry about me." the man said, "I was a hero once." he removed his hood revealing a scared face framed by long blonde hair and a beard as his blue eyes danced at the thrill of the fight.

"Ms. Wells the attackers have reached the dock what are we going to do?" the head of Cold Heart's security asked.

"Now we fight." Cold Heart replied whipping the blood of her swords as the man shucked his coat to reveal a blue uniform with the logo of the fantastic four emblazoned on the surface. As the enemy Asgardians and HAMMER agents headed towards the defenders the man whispered, "Flame On." before bursting into fire.

* * *

><p>The Origonal Characters of Abomination II, Cold Heart II, Crossbow, Ossuary and Oxide are my own origonal characters and are not owned by Marvel Comics<p> 


	4. Secrets of the Taskmaster

**F5 Base, Ten Miles Outside Oklahoma City - 02:11AM 15/08/11**

Tony parked the rented Chrysler outside the former storm monitoring bunker that was designated as the headquarters of F5. It didn't take a genius to realize that something was wrong, Tony was sure that nobody was home until he picked up a pair of night vision binoculars and stared through the lenses, the guarding HAMMER agents shining green in the darkness, their body heat steaming in the unusually cold wind and heavy rain.

"Something tells me that we have a complication." Dr Strange told Tony, "I sense dark magic inside that structure. Much darker then the simple occupation of building by former criminals, true evil has touched this house."

"True Evil, can you define that?" Tony asked, "Because I was told there is no such thing as pure evil. Even individuals such as Doctor Doom and the Red Skull have some good buried in them."

"The men you speak of are evil, but not true evil, that is reserved for the cruelest of deeds which have no true benefit for anyone. Slavery and Genocide are the most extreme examples but even little things can be considered as truly evil deeds. Even good people commit them, but I can sense that dark magic was used here even without the Eye of Agamento." Dr Strange explained, "Jericho my friend what do you sense."

"Darkness like that you described, but I can feel the mind behind this and I can determine who is responsible." Jericho told the others, "The Enchantress was here and she wasn't alone, your team was with her enslaved, she then cast a spell on the clouds above and sent them west. Where they stopped I have no idea but they carried more then rain."

As he finished the doors opened and the HAMMER agents brought out a dying agent on a stretcher. Throwing the man on the floor the guarding agents just left him where he had been dropped off without paying any attention to him.

"These guys aren't men are they?" Tony asked loading a magazine into his 9mm, "Grunts like these care when their friends are injured or killed."

"Your partially correct in you assumption," Dr Strange answered, "they were men, sometime in the recent past they were slain and left where they fell. A skilled necromancer like the Enchantress could have used the bodies as raw materials to summon the souls of the dead back to Midgard."

"You mean to say that these agents are zombies?" Tony asked, "Because I didn't sign up to appear in Resident Evil."

"They are thralls, basic foot-soldiers under the command of the Enchantress or one of her Generals." Jericho explained, "Zombies are dead bodies risen from the earth, that have don't have any soul to control them."

"I have one thing left to ask before we get inside," Tony told them, "how do you kill these guys."

Between a hail of fire-balls and silenced pistol shots the HAMMER guards were destroyed and after a brief ceremony by Dr Voodoo the souls and bodies were cleansed preventing them from ever being used by the dead again. Once inside it was clear to see that the HAMMER troops had been deployed to look for something, or someone. Clutching at their chests Tony watched as Dr Strange and Voodoo writhed in pain after they crossed the threshold. Eventually their revulsion seemed to lessen but they still didn't look well and Tony sensed that something was seriously wrong with them.

"You guys okay?" he asked.

"There is a device designed to nullify magical abilities in this structure." Voodoo explained, "My magic is barley there and Stephan's is completely neutralized.

"So I'm guessing you want to go in and get out as soon as possible." Tony stated, "Hey Doc take this, I've got a feeling that there are more HAMMER Thralls in here." he added throwing Strange his pistols.

"Why would they put such a device in this building in the first place." Strange asked throwing the guns back to Tony, "It makes no sense unless, did any of this team have magical powers?"

"No, wait Tempest got her powers from an artifcat belonging to a guy called Watoomb." Tony told the others.

"I know Watoomb, he claims I owe him a debt. I gave Jericho his wand when I lost the right to be the Sorcerer Supreme. If his Avatar is here then she would be powerless until the device is destroyed." Strange explained as a pair of HAMMER agents emerged from the stairs down into the basement. They quickly fell as Tony fired a few shots causing the thralls to collapse. Heading downstairs Tony noticed that the Sorcerers were looking more and more pale, evidence that they were getting closer to the device blocking magical powers. Eventually they arrived at a recently excavated chamber full of Thralls; this time a mixture of Asgardians, HAMMER Agents and National Guard Members all converging around a massive crystal that had half erupted from the ground and glowed a sickly green.

"That's what's blocking our magic." Voodoo announced, "It also gives the Thralls their marching orders, without it they will be unable to adapt to changing situations. Unfortunately the crystal will probably be immune to spells and conventional weapons."

"So how do we smash it?" Tony asked, "Because I didn't bring my magical sword with me." he added sarcastically. Quickly he turned and caught the pipe swung at him from behind before using it to push it's wielder down to the floor. His attacker was a young woman with long chestnut hair dressed in a HAMMER jumpsuit.

"Taskmaster?" she said in confusion.

"Tempest where are the others?" Tony asked the woman angrily.

"Jason told me to warn anyone who came looking for us, I raced back here only to find the Thralls already digging, as soon as they hit dirt the Enchantress showed up with the rest of the team and planted a tiny crystal. It took an hour to grow to full size and when it did I was human again, I survived as well as I could but I couldn't get to the comms. terminal." Tempest explained, she didn't sound distressed but like Dr Strange and Voodoo she didn't look at all well.

"That means the rest of the team is dead." Tony told her.

"Not necessarily," Doctor Voodoo interrupted, "Thralls made from the dead are smarter then zombies but in the end are still relatively stupid. They are able to do simple tasks but as you found out with the guards earlier are easy to destroy. Living Thralls are tougher and retain the intelligence and abilities they had when they processed free will."

"Oh no." Tempest said, "I overheard the Enchantress mention a recruitment drive to her war council. In particular they want meta humans, an army of super soldiers, they identified a hot spot susceptible to magic thanks to Carrion's attack on San Francisco."

"Utopia she's after the mutants, an army just waiting to be harvested." Tony said.

"The Enchantress War Council, who exactly was she talking to?" Strange asked.

"Sturt, Maleketh and this giant snake, they were getting their marching orders from Loki." Tempest stated.

"So Loki has a hand in this, I suppose it was to much too hope that he had been destroyed in the fall of Asgard." Strange sighed, "I do find it odd that he would rush into an attack so quickly." he added.

"They mentioned the coming of her," Tempest added, "that she was already here waiting to be born." From in his armor Tony felt the communications chip in his cowl buzz. "This is the Taskmaster," he whispered, "what is it Gauntlet."

"We are under attack," Gauntlet replied, "Some kind of giant snake, it's got an army of, hell I don't know what they are. Casualties are beginning to mount, we need reinforcements now."

"A giant snake you say, seems like there a lot of those slithering around at the moment." Tony replied, "Listen in my, I mean your office there is an emergency line to an old AIM instillation, called complex 667, I brought it prior to the split with HAMMER. At the time of purchase it was meant to be a storage facility, but now it's where the Shadow Initiative is based. Tell them that Protocol Aztec is in effect. After that go down to the labs and tell the Baron to online project rebirth, he's not going to like it but bribe him with a purple heart or something. Once the fighting dies down, tell Osborne to get his beauracratic ass in gear because this is going to become his problem as well in a very short amount of time." Tony instructed, "As soon as I'm done here I will see if I can get to you Taskmaster out."

**Camp****Hammond,****Conneticut**- **04:01AM**

Gauntlet deactivated the wireless head-set and fired another few shots at the approaching zombie Nazis. At the moment the Initiative Security and Trainees were clinging on to the section of ground in front of the Administration Offices but only thanks to the Serpent focusing its attention to the automated sentry turrets on the outer wall. Not that the robotic defences seemed to be doing any attention, rockets were incinerated by the serpent's breath and the 20mm canon shells bounced off it's hide. Gauntlet turned to the defenders and saw the he had very few people left to hold the line while he called in the Shadow Initiative, only five security guards remained alongside six trainees.

He had checked in with the other members of staff before calling the Taskmaster, and it seemed that they had similar numbers; Puma was pinned down in the auxiliary training room while Physique and Trauma were stuck in the Infirmary, there two squads were almost backed into a corner by the attackers, the final member of staff Terror had pushed foreword initially but the hermetically sealed knight had fallen to the Serpent itself and his team under the command of Tiger Shark had fallen back to the training pool. Gauntlet also had received information that two squads of trainees, on a night op at the time of the serpent's emergence were fighting to retake the transport bay and were hopping to get the camp's Thunder Hawks and Zeus Transports in the air to act as air support.

"Equinox hold the line," Gauntlet ordered, "Cariac come with me." he told another of his trainees.

"Where are you going Drill Master?" Equinox asked.

"The Taskmaster has given me the codes to scramble the Shadow Initiative, I don't know who these guys are but we could use the help. Cariac is going to run down to the labs and tell Baron von Blitzschlag to activate Project Rebirth. As soon as were done we will head back to the steps, until then I order you to hold." Gauntlet ordered.

"Yes Sir." Equinox replied firing a burst of flame at a group of Nazi's dragging a PaK 40 Field Gun up towards the front line. Cariac ran towards the labs while Gauntlet ducked inside as the remaining trainees and guards fired at their attackers using the statues of Jim Hammond as cover. Thundering towards the drill-masters office Gauntlet found five Nazi Zombies baring the corridor. Raising his fist Gauntlet charged through the hail of MP44 rounds and rifle shots before smashing the dead men across the walls.

"Looks like I know what it's like to be Captain America." Gauntlet stated kicking one of the zombies rifles away from the door. Slipping inside he quickly located the emergency phone and pressed the button marked with SI. The phone rang once and was picked up.

"Hello, Mr. Masters," the voice on the other end, "What can we do for you?"

"It's Joseph Green, Tony has given the order that Protocol Aztec is in effect." Gauntlet replied.

"Where do you want us deployed sir?" the voice on the other end asked.

"Camp Hammond is under attack, we need you here ASAP." Gauntlet ordered.

"Any estimates on enemy strength?" the voice asked.

"Lots of Zombies with Assault Weapons, Rocket Launchers and Rifles commanded by a very big snake." Gauntlet informed.

"Okay we're on our way, ETA is in three minutes, just make sure the jump gate is clear for our arrival." the voice asked, "Shadow Leader out." Gauntlet put down the phone and wondered just what kind of reinforcements would be arriving. "Gambit," he called over the comms, "I need you to clear the Jump Gate, we have reinforcements arriving in three minutes whatever you have to do to get it clear do it."

Over in complex 667 the Shadow Initiative geared up as their leader activated the Jump Gate that led to Camp Hammond. "After the Siege the Taskmaster risked his life to give us sanctuary from Osborne and HAMMER. Now that Protocol Aztec is active it's time to repay the risk he took. Shadow Initiative assemble.


	5. Unexpected Allies and Betrayals

Gambit smacked a zombie round the face with his bo-staff as he and Slingshot's teams pushed the attackers away from the Jump Gate. As the Abomination had earlier discovered the zombies didn't fall to normal wounds, and even the assorted powers that the trainees had at their disposal didn't seem to make any impact on the horde of the Undead.

"Vapour give us another pass." Gambit ordered as the Abomination decapitated a zombie while Whiplash kept a group at bay as Crossbow fired bolt after bolt into the attackers. Vapour quickly flew past the zombie attackers and circled the room, dirty grey gas left in her wake before switching back to her normal green form.

"Now Crossbow," Gambit ordered, "light these Zombies up." Crossbow fired a pair of bolts into two of the closest attackers before spinning his weapons barrel and firing a flare into the gas stream. In an instant the gas ignited and the smell of petrol filled the room, the zombies outside the ring retreated from the ring of fire as the trainees pushed the remaining attackers towards the fire, the dead flesh becoming shambling corpses as they screamed in terror running away from the jump gate. Behind the team the gate sprung to life and the whole room glowed blue as the connection was made with the one in the Shadow Initiative Facility. Walking through the blue glow came seven people, the light presenting Gambit and the others from seeing who they were.

"Is that it?" Death Cap asked, "That's not reinforcements that just a bloody burial detail."

"Shut up Ward, everybody we can bring to this fight helps." Slingshot answered as the Jump Gate deactivated, the blue glow disappearing. Standing before the trainees stood a man they all recognized, Hank Pym AKA the Wasp and former Ant Man, his team mates were all recognizable heros as well.

"Doctor Pym official lists show that your dead." Gambit stated.

"Not this time Reme," Hank said as the fire died down and the first zombies charged through the dying flames at the group. "Okay everyone we're here to take down the Lindworm, Tarene take Wiccan and see if you can find the serpent's weakness. Komodo, Black Cat and Scarlet Spider I want you to rally everyone together and get ready for a final push against the zombies, we're going to lead them into this room and send them to an active Volcano in Iceland. Tigra and the others will stay to cover me while I overwrite the gate's controls."

"Yes sir." the others replied heading off to their respected assignments.

"You were never so eager to send others to their deaths." Gambit told Hank.

"That was before we lost so much at the Siege of Asgard, I doubt there is anyone else left from the original Avengers team." Hank replied, "I'm the last one left and I sure as hell won't let Osborne get away with what he's done."

"So why take sanctuary from the Taskmaster?" Gambit asked, "He was working for HAMMER for a while before he split with Osborne."

"He offered sanctuary as long as Osborne was in control in return for help when the compound came under attack, he's realised that whether it's at Camp Hammond or Camp HAMMER that people always seem to target the Initiative." Hank told Gambit as the later threw an exploding 3 of clubs at a Zombie armed with a pair of bayonets. "Plus I think he liked having something to lord over Osborne when they eventually get sent to prison."

Deep in the lab of Baron von Blitzschlag the former Nazi scientist scratched his head as the protection detail that Gauntlet had sent down arrived. He wasn't at all comfortable activating Project Rebirth, he had even considered terminating the subject before it had been repaired, he had argued against even repairing the bloody machine but Osborne had overruled him.

"Father we're ready to act if he makes a move." MIA told the Baron. She had been sent down alongside Annex, Pulsar and the Unicorn to keep the subject under control, but Blitzschlag knew from first hand experience that as powerful as these four were, that they would never take him down. Luckily the Baron had inserted a fail-safe but the lack of testing would make it chancy to use at best.

"Yes everyone get ready." Blitzschlag told the team, "Opening casket in three, two, one." he triggered the cryogenic chambers bolts and the door flew open revealing a heavily muscled man with long blonde hair wearing Asgradian armor.

"Is that Thor?" Unicorn asked stepping back a few paces.

"Nay I am Ragnarok," the clone told him, "Now step away from the foul doctor or I will make thee wish you were never born."

"You won't touch my father." MIA growled, "Override Code 700."

"Code 700 accepted, reset counter is at thirty minutes, what do you need me to do?" Ragnarok asked.

"The programming codes work," Blitzschlag said happily, "He's under your control until the reset counter runs out. Be careful what you ask him to do Michelle, the code is fragile and certain triggers may even override his behaviour."

"Go upstairs and kill the Serpent." MIA ordered. Almost immediately the Thor Clone started moving, picking up a massive Sledge Hammer locked away in a weapon's cabinet and virtually ploughing through Annex who was guarding the door.

"Go make sure he follows your instructions." the Baron told MIA and her team, "If he gets out of control activate this trigger, it will detonate the bomb placed in his memory banks."

"Yes father I will make sure that the creature doesn't get out of control." MIA told him.

"If possible keep him safe, we may need him later." Blitzschlag told her, "The Initiative will not always be under independent control of HAMMER."

Gauntlet fired a blast of energy at the Nazi Zombies that were swarming up the stairs, their swarm attacks were affective most of the security was dead but at least the Serpent had stopped destroying the camp. It seemed sating and was sleeping in the main training room, unfortunately how ever it was controlling the zombies wasn't resting and now their waves include the dead Security Agents and the Staff that the monsters had slain. High above the Serpent lightning flashed and Gauntlet could swear he saw Thor and another Asgradian clashing hammer against hammer. Suddenly through the lines of Zombies a group of trainees smashed through the living corpses, he recognized Komodo and the Black Cat, the man in red was the Scarlet Spider or one of them at the very least, a lot of people had used that name recently.

"Gauntlet." Komodo called kicking a Zombie to the floor before picking up its MP40 and firing it at a sniper mounted on one of the remaining guard towers. "Push them back to the Jump Gate."

"You heard her, push them back." Gauntlet ordered the remaining trainees in his company.

Overhead the Lindworm heard thunder and smelt the flesh of Odin's line; it knew that the man above was a fake. Long ago it had been a hero, defender of the innocent; he had taken the brunt of the attack of an ancient enemy before being transformed into his hideous current form bound to serve those who asked of his services. He and his servants had taken the 100 souls that the one called Scourge had offered; now all his deals were done, and he would never have to serve again thanks to the woman Avalon. With her payment he was free, both from his form and servitude, deep in his gut something stirred and a hand pulled out a long bejewelled sword embedded in his stomach before a man dressed in bright green armor emerged from the dying serpent's belly. The man emerged from his prison and looked up at the sky as Thor clashed with a woman dressed almost identically to him. It was clear from the smell that this man wasn't the Thor he knew, he walked foreword and tripped over a woman with MIA marked on her neck, a rebar impaled in her chest.

"You have to stop him." she told the man. "This should help." she added throwing him a switch.

"Don't worry maiden, Prince Lindwyrm will slay the fake Asgradian." the man told her in a German accent before leaping to the roof top and up towards the battle. "Thor Odinson I call you to battle." the man told the clone as he smashed Tarane with his hammer.

"I am Ragnarok, the end of all things Teutonic Prince, you will bow before me for I am your master." Ragnarok bellowed as Tarane fell to the roof next to the prince.

"Nay Cyborg, I know much about you as is the curse of wisdom that my former self carried." the Prince told Ragnarok as he helped Tarane to her feet. "I would fight you if slaying you carried any worth but alas you are merely a faint shadow of the real Odinson."

Ragnarok bellowed and fired a blast of lightning at the Prince who intercepted it with his blade, the sword shining with electricity. Roaring in anger Ragnarok dived slamming the hammer into the roof causing the concrete to crack and all three combatants to fall into the room below. Getting to her feet first Tarane smashed Ragnarok across the face revealing the machinery below the cloned flesh. In retaliation he kicked her back through the wall, rubble falling off the building causing the structure to creak ominously as both he and the prince got to their feet. Ragnarok went to slam the Prince who dodged serpent like away from the strike before expertly slashing at the clone's arm causing the limb to drop off due to the weight of the hammer, the clone staggering as Lindwyrm stabbed his blade through the cyborg's chest cavity. Ragnarok brought his left arm and pummelled the prince to the floor before picking up the dropped hammer and readied it for an execution. The strike never came as Tarane swung her own weapon knocking the clone's head to the floor, the body collapsing as the prince slithered out of the way of the falling body. Tarane walked over to the head and crushed it under her hammer as a group of zombies lumbered towards the pair their weapons drawn.

"Nay my servants I have no longer any need for you." the Prince commanded, "Rest forever undisturbed by any who defile your souls with dark magic." The zombies creaked before dissolving into puddles of ice and ash, all around the camp the dead shuddered and disappeared leaving the living alone and standing shocked at what happened. Only the corpse of the Lindworm remained as the prince retrieved a gold coin threaded through the hole in the centre to form a pendant that was wrapped around the giant serpent's fangs.

"Sleep my former body till the real Ragnarok calls you once more into battle." the Prince told the dead snake which suddenly writhed before slithering into the hole it had emerged from.

"Hands up." Gauntlet ordered from behind, "Throw down the sword and put your hands above your head." The prince placed his sword on the floor and turned to face Gauntlet his hands raised but a kind smile on his face. "Who are you?" Gauntlet asked.

"Prince Tyr Lindwyrm." the Prince replied, "At your service sir, my code tells me that I must regain my honour by working off the sin for taking the souls I stole from you."

"What?" Gauntlet asked.

"He was the snake." Tarane told Gauntlet.

"Is this true?" Gauntlet asked suspiciously.

"Aye, a long time ago after the members of the Seven Pointed Star prevented her emergence, I was cursed by our leader, a cruel god of the Egyptians, into the form of a Lindworm. Bound by the rules of my new shape I was forced to honour any deals that were made to me. Many asked for no more then riches or health, few asked me to spare the lives of their people but some asked more wicked things. One such man offered me 100 souls from this place in return for a half pint of venom, a high price for such a trivial thing. As such I ask for forgiveness from you noble leader and in return I will give you my sword and the name of the man who wished your destruction."

"How did you break the curse?" Gauntlet asked, "How do I know that this isn't a trick and you won't turn into a giant snake again and kill us all."

"A noble woman, one who knew of my condition released me with gold cast into the lake of Avalon, its power broke the curse after I had honoured any outstanding deals I had made. On my sword the only thing I offer I give to you my loyalty"

"Who ordered the attack?" Gambit asked.

"A man who hid behind names such as Citizen V, Nuke and Scourge, one in service to Norman Osborne, yet he received orders to attack from another," Lindwyrm told Gauntlet.

"Put your hands down." Gauntlet sighed. Behind him there was a click and he turned to see MIA with a Handgun pointing directly at his head despite the wound she had.

"MIA stand down that's an order." Gauntlet told her.

"No you are no longer in charge of the Initiative." she replied as other trainees activated their powers or drew their weapons while others simply looked surprised, "Now hand's above your heads all of you." she ordered.

"I am Camp Commandant," Gauntlet yelled, "Everyone but down your weapons." he commanded as above him spot-lights shown down on the area as a pair of Thunderhawks arrived on station. Standing on the side of one of the choppers Gauntlet saw the armoured figure of Scourge, "Not any more the Initiative is once more under Osborne's control."

"Not while we're still standing, if you want the Initiative you will have to fight to claim it." Gauntlet yelled up at him. Suddenly electricity coursed through his body and those of the remaining loyalists before they flopped to the floor. Somewhere far off a sniper shot sounded and the Prince fell to the floor as Scourge jumped from the Hawk and picked up his sword.

"Move them downstairs for nano-chain reprogramming they will all serve Osborne eventually." Scourge stated as he chopped off Gauntlet's armoured limb, "Even you."


	6. California Burning

"Yes Commander," Vector answered over the communications channel as X-Ray and Joystick waited behind him his words barley visible over the screams of thralls and gunfire from the National Guard, "Yes we understand we'll be on the next bird out of here."

"Well what did he say?" Joystick asked.

"Good news Scourge has taken the Initiative and Osborne has been granted permission to commence Protocol Wyvern on the city. The first Raptors are already warming up and after the initial drops a wing of B52s is being sent into the area armed with tons of incendiaries." Vector told them, "We just have two problems Ripcord and Ossuary, if we leave early they might get suspicious."

"So, let the fire kill them." X-Ray ventured, "Work done, we go home."

"It's not that easy Ossuary is mildly pyrokinetic and there's no guarantee Ripcord will die in the flames" Vector told them, "We must get our hands dirty before we leave."

"What about Mamba and Cold Heart where do they stand?" Joystick asked.

"Scourge doesn't know how loyal they will be to him, he'll contact them and see where they stand, neither is fire proof so if the worst happens we just leave them here." Vector explained, "Now let's get moving we only have thirty minutes before this place is turned into a fire storm."

"What about the civilians?" Joystick asked as a large ferry pulled away from the drop, screaming men, women and children crying out to be let on. "Utopia still hasn't opened its waters a lot of them will die in the bombing." she added as a Black Hawk circled overhead ready to extract them.

"They'll have to swim." Vector replied, "We don't have time to worry about them."

Black Mamba climbed up the ladder onto Fisherman's Wharf, the position she had been holding with the X-Men had been overrun, the mutants had offered to take her back to Utopia but she had turned it down claiming that she wouldn't leave until the city was safe.

"That was stupid." she moaned throwing her communicator into the water the device offline due to saturation. Struggling with the last rung she was hauled up by a National Guardsman who was positioned at the end of the dock as Cold Heart and what looked like the Human Torch fended off a wave of thralls created out of civilians and dead guardsman.

"Maybe I should have stayed in the water." Mamba said sarcastically, "It looks like this place won't hold for long."

"Tanya." Cold Heart called, "You're never going to believe this Scourge is in control of the Initiative. Some kind of coup occurred last night and he's given us the choice work for him or die here."

"What!" Mamba asked, "He can't do that the Taskmaster claimed independence from HAMMER and people like Scourge."

"Apparently he doesn't read the rule books." the Guardsman butted in, "We have a problem Maam, National Guard is being ordered away from San Fran, apparently this place is going to be immolated in just under half an hour."

"Immolated." Jonny barley able to mask the glee in his voice. "That's terrible."

"How is the civilian evac going?" she asked the Guardsman as he fired shots into a shuffling thrall.

"20% evac from affected area." the Guard informed, "It's not enough but it will have to do Director Osborne is officially in control now. He's using emergency powers to take control of all military and paramilitary forces, we're all under HAMMERs control now."

"Do we leave?" Cold Heart asked Tanya.

"No Colette we stay and get people to safety, we need to find Ossuary his powers could create an underground shelter to protect the civilians." Mamba instructed, "Give me your comm. piece we need to get him down to the port. From there Vector can help with assembly and supports while Joystick rounds everyone up. The rest of us will keep the Thralls at bay until the first bombers arrive and then retreat back to cover."

"Take it." Cold Heart replied throwing the ear-piece to Tanya, "Let's hope they haven't left yet." she added.

Over by the Golden Gate Bridge Ossuary and Ripcord held the line alongside M2 Bradley APCs of the California National Guard. They had orders that the 'infection' was not to leave the city limits even if it meant destroying the bridge, as the battle raged multiple bricks of C4 were being attached to the support columns and were ready to blow. Ripcord looked around, the men were beat even her adrenaline boost that she was providing had failed, they were only slightly more alert then the monsters they were fighting. The Comm. link buzzed and she answered, "This is Ripcord who's speaking."

"Stacy it's Tanya we have bad news." the reply came.

"Worse then hordes of zombies eating the people of San Francisco?" Ripcord asked.

"Almost as bad, Osborne is in control of every American Military unit in the country. He's ordered the city destroyed with bombs and incendiaries."

"That's bad when does the bombing start?"

"Twenty minutes at the earliest. Scourge is in control of the Initiative, he gave Cold Heart and me the chance to leave but we turned it down. We can't reach Vector, X-Ray or Joystick though, they have changed channel and National Guard down at the dock say that they are missing." Mamba told her, "Listen if we could build a shelter that was reinforced by psychic energy from Vector and Ossuary we may have a chance at saving the civilians at the ferry port that are unable to leave."

"Maybe." a new voice added, "But that's a lot of power and while I can't speak for Vector I'm practically running on empty."

"Maybe?" Mamba spat, "Are you a hero or not?" she asked Ossuary.

"I never said I wouldn't do it." Ossuary butted in, "I'm just saying I don't know if we can outlast the thralls and the air-force."

"Guys good news I can see X-Ray he's on the beach below us." Ripcord told Mamba and Cold Heart.

"What there's so much Static that I can barley here you." Mamba called, "What about the beach?" The comm. link died as the Bradley APCs quivered before crashing through the sides of the bridge and fell into the ocean. There was a flash as something passed along one-side of the bridge and then the other.

"Crap," one of the Guardsmen yelled "C4s activated." as soon as he finished the bridge exploded as Joystick coasted to a stop on the beach next to X-Ray.

"That was easy." she gasped.

"Like it would be anything other then that." Vector told her as his comms. crackled. "Yes sir. Ossuary and Ripcord are dead and the bridge is destroyed. Yes we're ready to leave Black Mamba and Cold Heart have decided to stay and try and help the general populous." he announced as the Black Hawk touched down to take them away from the city.

On the dock everything stopped as the four survivors watched the collapsed of the Golden Gate Bridge. Even the Thralls stopped their attack for a second, the spectacle temporarily overriding their orders.

"My God they destroyed the bridge." Cold Heart gasped.

"Stacy, Dale come in are you there." Tanya called, "There gone, the U-Foes and Joystick killed them." she announced as the glowing figures of Vector and X-Ray got into a Black Hawk Helicopter.

"They were close to the Taskmaster, Scourge probably couldn't let them live." Cold Heart explained as she cut through a thrall's arms with one of her swords. "We have to get out of here before the bombing starts." she added freezing a group of Thralls as the National Guardsman shattered them with the butt of his M16.

"Wait, what if we could walk out of the city." Tanya queried. "Colette you could freeze the water to let the civilians leave."

"That's good in theory but how do we stop the thralls from following." Cold Heart announced.

"The Human Torch could melt the bridge as the last people crossed leaving the thralls trapped in the fire storm." Tanya announced, "The National Guard could provide air support in their choppers while we were on the water."

"It might work?" Collette answered, "If I stick one sword at the rear of the column and the other at the front with me I could create a bridge or at the very least a platform for people to stand on, we wouldn't be able to save everyone but we might get most of the people away from the air-force and the thralls." she added.

"Whatever you're going to do you'll have to hurry." the Guardsman pointed out as fire and explosion erupted in the distance. "At least the Thralls have retreated." he pointed out.

"At last the creation of my army has begun." a voice announced behind them, the words sounding like roaring flame. Looking over their shoulders Tanya and Colette saw the Human Torch begin to smoke and stretch becoming taller until he towered a good six foot above them. "I Surtur claim this city for the children of Muspelheim, we will feed on the ashes of the dead before moving to feast on the enemies of Loki." he added a flaming sword appeared in his hand while giant wings sprouted from his back.

"You shall not pass." Colette yelled smiting the deck with one of her sword causing the dock to be covered in ice. Surtur snorted in laughter and the ice and dock melted as a Black Hawk Helicopter descended at the end of the collapsing structure. Running Tanya and Colette watched as the Guardsman behind them burst into flames screaming in pain as they jumped onto the chopper while the water around Surtur boiled away, the ocean bed turning to glass.

"Where too ladies." the Pilot asked

"Drop us off at the port." Black Mamba ordered.

"No point the HAMMER Raptors and Lightning's just incinerated that area. Covered the whole place with Napalm we lost the majority of the guards and civilians in the area. Those we didn't were taken down by Thralls and new contacts completely wreathed in flame. We have orders to leave the state to the monsters and rendezvous with the rest of the strike force against Asgard" the pilot informed them.

"Look." Cold Heart pointed at the base of the bridge, "They survived." Tanya peered but couldn't see any survivors.

"Colette we failed there all dead." Tanya replied as the other woman got to her feet and headed to the edge of the chopper. "Don't you dare." she threatened.

"What would Tony do?" Colette asked, "What would Asp tell you to do Tanya."

"This is different the city is burning and Ossuary and Ripcord were blow up by Vector." Tanya told her as Surtur fired a wave of fireballs across the city. Colette saluted Tanya before jumping off the chopper skidding down an icy chute created by her swords down into the middle of the inferno. Tanya watched and sighed before picking up an M4 Assault Rifle.

"Where should we head Maam?" the Pilot asked.

"Get out of here we'll find a way out." she replied just before she leapt for the ice chute the fires of Muspelheim roaring below her.


	7. More Enemies then Friends

**San Fransisco, California - 05:32AM**

"Are you insane?" Black Mamba asked as she and Cold Heart reached the beach where the Golden Gate Bridge had once stood.

"Maybe but I know I saw Ossuary down here when we left in the Black Hawk." Cold Heart replied looking over her shoulder, keeping an eye on the thralls and the newly formed fire demons, for an obvious reason the later were staying away from the water while the majority of the Thralls had disappeared with only a few of the mind controlled fiends still roaming the city.

"Well I can't see them and now we're stuck her. I only wish X-Ray hadn't fired the comms. we could at least get out of here." Black Mamba complained, "I hate to think what Camp Hammond looks like with Scourge at the helm."

"What about the Project Pegasus Lab on Alcatraz Island?" Cold Heart asked, "There's still work lights on." she confirmed, "maybe somebody's still there."

"And we're getting there how?" Black Mamba asked, "If you hadn't noticed the water is too warm for ice." she said gesturing to the ocean which was bubbling and smoking due to the influence of Sutur. Looking in the distance the giant flaming figure could be seen stalking through the city as more F22s flew overhead continuing to drop Napalm and bombs. Mamba wondered what kind of incentive the pilots had to continue burning the city. "Do you think anyone survived?"

"Hopefully not, I don't mean to sound cold but if you did escape the thralls and then avoid being killed by the air-force would you want to stay here." Cold Heart answered, "Did you ever here back from the Task Master?" she asked.

"No I hope he's alive, I'm almost certain Scourge would send people after him to prevent the trainees rallying back to him." Mamba answered,

"What about Utopia they have advanced vessels and aircraft?" Cold Heart asked, "They could use them to fight the demons and thralls, that X Man Storm could quench the fires."

"The mutants left, they offered an escape but like and idiot I turned it down." Mamba replied, "As for Storm last I heard she was in Wakanda."

"So no rescue." Cold Heart stated sitting down on the sand, "I'm so sorry I thought I saw Dale alive."

"You guys were close." Mamba stated, "How serious was it in the end?"

"We went on a few dates. But then we stopped the whole toe thing kind of freaked me out. After that we were kind of friends, I was sort of popular but Dale liked to stay by himself, despite that I always made an effort when I saw him to talk see how he was doing." Cold Heart announced.

"That seems to be the thing about the Initiative." Mamba replied, "As soon as everything seems to be going right disaster strikes."

* * *

><p><strong>F5 Bunker, Outside Oklahoma City - 06:22AM<strong>

Tony leaned against the crystal in the basement of the F5 command centre, "So let me get this right, you used all your mojo to imbue this shield." he said tapping the shield in question, "so that all I need to do is smack it against this crystal." he replied smashing the shield into the crystal "and it will collapse?"

"Yes." Jericho sighed as Tempest ran past shooting at a Thrall charging after her.

"Well as you can see nothing happened?" Tony replied tapping the shield against the crystal again causing the shield to shatter, "I think you got your spell backwards." he announced

"Could I get some help here?" Tempest asked as the Thrall lunged at her. Instead of making contact the Thrall fell through her before getting to its feet and lashing out, this time missing her altogether as she flew up to the ceiling. "Tony I think it worked." she called down to the Taskmaster who kicked the thrall down to the floor and stuck his sword through the body.

"Looks like it." he answered, "How about you guys?" he asked Dr Strange and Jericho Drumm. The screams from the thralls as they retreated down the holes on the floor was answer enough in seconds the only mind controlled corpses in the base were those who had been slain.

"This place looks like a bloody bone yard." Tony stated flipping a dead HAMMER thrall, "Okay everyone take five I've got a few calls to make." he added.

* * *

><p><strong>Camp Hammond, Conneticut - 09:01AM<strong>

Puma led the group through the basement of Camp Hammond, lots of people had been taken down by Scourge and those loyal to him, only around eight trainees as well as himself were still loyal to the Taskmaster. Reaching the cross pipe in the ventilation system he crouched down and removed the blue-prints that he had stolen from the base's archives. Behind him Domino held a hand torch above his head reading the map over his shoulder.

"Which way know?" she asked

"Hell if I know." he replied, "We still don't have any one behind us that suggests that Atlas was able to stall them in the maintenance hallway."

"Some good it did us." Harrier's voice complained from the darkness behind Domino, "We're trapped in the bloody ventilation system and Scourge is up in the Director's office doing goodness knows what to the place."

"We have a bigger problem." Hazmat told him, "This place is run on a let's just say very unstable nuclear fuel cell. Osborne had it placed in this place in secret, even the Taskmaster doesn't know that it's down there."

"So what's the problem?" Puma asked

"The fuel cell is alive, all Scourge has to do is input the data into its controller disks and he's got himself a walking dirty bomb." Hazmat explained.

"Who is this bomb?" the Scarlet Spider asked crawling on the ceiling, "Hey Scorpion you have something crawling on your neck." he pointed out causing the green haired woman to punch him in the gut.

"Osborne didn't do what I think he did?" Hank Pym asked from the stretcher carried by Harrier and Bloodstone.

"He did, what we all thought happened was wrong, at least from the power readings I was getting from just walking around the Camp." Hazmat explained, "He never left the United States."

"Who didn't." asked the Scarlet Spider rubbing his arm.

"Chen Lu." Pym told him, "This whole complex is powered by the Radioactive Man." From behind them voices began to echo through the vent network by the sounds of it Scourge was sending his men into the tunnels after them.

"Any time now Puma." Domino said as footsteps could be heard behind them. "Because we're about to have company."

* * *

><p><strong>Fisherman's Wharf, San Fransisco - 06:56AM<strong>

Cold Heart slid down the ice ramp she'd created onto the burnt out shell of a former Coast Guard Patrol Boat. Quickly she checked the engine compartment and found that like the last five boats she and Mamba had investigated that this hulk wouldn't be going anywhere either.

"Any luck?" Mamba called for the bridge.

"No, the damage is too great, stealing a ride is easy, finding the right one is harder." she replied

"Are you talking about boats or men?" Mamba asked cynically as Colette stuck her head up through the hatch, "Your comm. link is glowing." she added, "Somebody knows we're here you were right somebody is still alive."

"Not likely, the signal is a long range broadcast coming from the F5 headquarters in Oklahoma." Cold Heart answered, "Hello this is Cold Heart. Yes, yes, no it's just me and Black Mamba."

"Who is it?" Mamba asked

"The boss." Cold Heart replied, "And he wants to speak to you."

* * *

><p><strong>F5 Bunker, Outside Oklahoma City - 08:00AM<strong>

ony checked the time on the computer screen the time showed that it was five in the morning, the sun would be creeping up over the horizon in mere minutes and while he knew that Thralls and Vampires were different things he was certain no matter how brash she was that the Enchantress wouldn't try anything during the daylight.

"Yes Tanya it certainly looks that way?" he answered the woman displayed on the video screen, "I'll tell the doctors maybe they can help get you out of there."

"What about Scourge?" Tanya asked as a piece of machinery flew out of the boat she was standing on.

"From what I've heard Osborne has declared emergency status due to the threat the ruins of Asgard hold. Technically he can legally seize the Camp Hammond Campus and do whatever he wants with it." Tony explained.

"What so your going to let him get away with it?" Tanya screeched as a column of ice erupted from the same hole as the machine fragments.

"No I'm not but with Ghille watching his back I'd probably be shot down before I even got close." Tony told her, "Don't worry about Scourge I have an ace that if I play right will make Osborne isolate the psycho from any backup."

"What kind of ace?" Tanya asked

"I can't tell you but keep trying to escape the city, if I can extract you I will until then good luck to you and Colette." Tony commanded before switching the channel to a secure line.

"Hello," he told the operator in a convincing Australian accent, "I'd like to talk to Mr. Osborne it's about a certain individual he's looking for."

"Can you hold please Mr.?" the operator asked.

"Mr. Walker now hurry up you bloody woman I don't want that French basted and the fancy spear to get away." Tony yelled in the same accent.

"One moment." the operator replied. Tony grinned and clicked his shoulders, "Check Scourge." he said in his normal voice, "your move."


	8. Cold Reception

A UPS Truck arrived outside Camp Hammond as the driver dressed in a standard pair of uniforms got out and walked up to the checkpoint to get inside. Inside the security office a trio of HAMMER agents rapidly deployed training their weapons on the driver scanned her with a hand held sensor.

"I've got a delivery for the Drill Master." the woman said flicking her hair out of her eyes. "Something from Oklahoma." she added.

"Well if you didn't no Miss." the scanner guard said in a mocking voice, "The Initiative is at war so he's not here at the momment."

"Well can I leave it here, it only requires a signature from a single member and what I'm carrying has a limited shelf life." the driver asked sweetly staring into the head guards eyes.

"Who do we have on the skeleton guard?" he asked his subordinate happily.

"We have Cardiac, Unicorn and Badd Axe in the Type 1 category and Dark Hawk and Iron Fist as Type 2s" his second in command answered as he spoke into the radio. "Can I have somebody at the front gate we have a package to move inside."

"So what are you transporting?" the third guard asked.

"Oh you'll love this." the driver announced as she walked to the back of the truck and knocked on the door. Rolling up the back of the truck another female UPS worker appeared and smiled. "Show them the parcel." the driver announced as the HAMMER guards peered into the back of the truck as the second UPS worker opened a black container. Inside frozen in a block of ice with a pair of swords sticking out of the cold prison was the body of the Taskmaster.

"Well that will keep old Scourge happy for a while." one said as the armoured figure of Cardiac glided down to the back of the truck before disconnecting his glider from his staff and pushing through the group gawking at the back of the truck.

"They need you to sign this." the driver said handing Cardiac the clip-board. Cardiac nodded and quickly signed the document before handing the clip-board back to the driver as the second UPS agent pulled on one of the swords. With a quick slash all four of the HAMMER agents were quickly frozen as Cardiac climbed into the truck and closed the freezer door before shouldering it.

"Your late." he told the Sword Wielder as the driver took off her uniform to reveal dark leather clothing underneath.

"Don't blame us, blame the US Army putting cordons around the entire state of Oklahoma." Cold Heart spat as she froze her uniform to reveal silver and blue scale mail under her disguise.

"Thanks for meeting us." Mamba told Cardiac as she dropped out of the truck, "And thanks for carrying the boss." she added, "Is Physique still in the Infirmary?" she asked.

"She is but we have to hurry, the second siege is taking far longer then Osborne anticipated. Troops are being rotated from the front line back here and vice versa. If that happens we may end up with more trouble then we expected. Scourge started classifying members with the help of the Wizard. Anyone willing to revolt against the Taskmaster are Type 1 and any captured members under the influence of controller discs are Type 2. What Scourge didn't no is that Crossbow, Solo, Mankiller and myself were instructed to infiltrate any rebel group by the Taskmaster and discover who the leaders are." Cardiac explained as they passed through the doors into Camp Hammond where another unit of HAMMER agents waited.

"What was so important that…" the Commander asked until he saw Cold Heart and Black Mamba, "Those two are Type 2s, arrest them immediately." he ordered his troops.

"These two," Cardiac explained, "captured the Task Master, I'm sure that makes them Type 1s." he announced.

"I'm going to have to check with Scourge." the Commander replied, "Stay here while I call it in." he ordered.

"We don't have time." Cold Heart said her voice fearful, "The ice is melting and as soon as it does he's free. Do you want the Taskmaster to be free?" she asked, "Because the Freon Battery in my swords is out of juice, that ice cube is only staying frozen due to cold ambient temperatures."

"Okay take it down to the morgue. As soon as your done come back up and we'll sort out you classification." the Commander motioned, "You two go with them and make sure nothing fishy happens." he added as Cardiac carried the frozen Taskmaster to the Cargo Lift followed by Cold Heart, Black Mamba and the two HAMMER agents. As the door's closed an uncomfortable silence fell over the lift, the dripping ice the only sound other then the churning of the electric motor as the cart descended. After an agonizing wait the lift door's pinged and the Initiative Team exited and headed for the infirmary the HAMMER agents becoming increasingly nervous as they moved away from the safety of the upper levels. Arriving at the Infirmary Cardiac squeezed through the door and placed the slab of ice on an operating table. Curious Physique emerged from her office and quickly rushed over to the frozen coffin before glaring at Cold Heart and Black Mamba.

"You may leave." she told the HAMMER agents.

"Sorry we are under orders not to leave these two alone." one of the agents told the medic.

"Are you two injured?" Physique asked Mamba and Cold Heart.

"Just a few burns and cuts." Mamba replied, "Souvenirs from our trip to California." she added, "Vector decided to leave us despite his orders from Scourge."

"I'll check you out once this is stored." she told them, "If you're worried Cardiac can stay and keep an eye on them."

"But there meant to go back upstairs for classification." the HAMMER agent complained.

"I'm classifying them as wounded and that soldier is something you can't argue against. As chief medical officer when I say a member of the Initiative is injured you can bet there injured not wait outside." she ordered angrily pointing at the door-way a scalpel in hand. The agents shrugged and left the infirmary flanking the door as Cardiac closed it behind them before walking over to the frozen Taskmaster.

"Okay let's get ready." Physique ordered, "Tanya watch the door while we free Mr. Masters." Black Mamba quickly slid off to flank the door as the HAMMER agents chanced glances inside. Cold-Heart grabbed her swords and plunged them either side of the Taskmasters body cracking the excess ice to leave Tony's body mummified in slush. "Cardiac wake him slowly, a sudden thermal spike could kill him." Physique instructed as Cold Heart backed off and Cardiac stepped forward plunging his staff into the ice until it made contact with the Taskmasters frozen form, yellow light sparking and hissing as energy coursed down the shaft.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" One of the HAMMER Agents asked as he pushed the door open. "Control we have…" he began to say before Mamba choked him with her powers before he and the other guard fell to the floor. Seconds later the alarm sounded and Scourge's face appeared on all the screens around the Infirmary.

"Perimeter Breach all fire-teams head for the Infirmary. Valid Targets cleared for shoot to kill protocol are Cardiac, Black Mamba, Cold Heart and Physique, we request that the Taskmaster is brought alive if at all possible." Scourge barked over the screen, "Reinforcements are incoming ETA seven minutes." he added before the screen was replaced with static.

"So much for stealth." Cold Heart mused, "What's the plan, is he good to go?" she asked.

"Tony will be unthawed in two minutes, but he won't be combat ready for at least an hour." Physique explained, "Luckily for us Scourge had me implant GPS Trackers in all Initiative Type 2 Members. The handlers have instructions not to leave them unattended so we can at least track them."

"It's only a five minute run to the reactor chamber as long as you don't run into any trouble." Cardiac mused, "Hazmat and I both used to run off the reactors powers and share its dreams as a consequence. If we can get the source out of the core then we can shut down the teleporters and take out Scourge's reinforcements."

"You mentioned dreams?" Mamba asked suspiciously.

"There's no time." Cardiac told her, "Go I'll brief you on the way on that and the shut down process."

"Okay." Mamba replied blankly taking a radio from the unconscious HAMMER agent before cloaking herself in a cape of dark energy, "I'll be back." she added before heading out the door.

Sprinting down the corridors she quickly arrived at the reactor room, it's large concrete blast doors locked down as a key pad winked at her, the buttons flashing orange.

"Okay I'm at the main entrance, what's the code." she asked.

"The code is a twelve digit number with a random character in the last space. That character changes every day and will lock down when entered incorrectly. The numbers are added in four and will take twenty seconds to confirm. The first four digits are 2-8-1-1." Cardiac explained.

"Okay 2-8-1-1." Black Mamba repeated the pad beeping as the buttons were pressed in.

"Tanya hurry." Cold-Heart announced, "We iced up the doors to keep the HAMMER guys out but from the look of it Badd Axe has lumbered his ass down here and I don't know how long we can freeze him out."

"Okay code accepted." Mamba said, "Insert next four digits."

"6-0-2-5" Cardiac explained as the clattering of something moving on a table could be heard. "It's okay sir you're safe."

"6-0-2-5." Mamba mumbled, "Is Tony and Tempest okay?" she asked.

"There fine," Physique announced, "Tempest was able to keep air flowing around Mr. Masters body so he hasn't got any brain damage or physical system arrest."

"Okay the pad's asking for random digit insertion." Mamba told them, "Is that meant to happen?"

"It is," Cardiac replied, "Okay the random digit for yesterday was 3, fortunately nobody has changed the automatic locking code protocol so the computer should have assigned the next number as the random number."

"Okay." Mamba said breathing heavily, "Number accepted. It wants the last four numbers."

"They are 3-9-3-9 but you have to put it in backwards because your working from the other end now." Cardiac explained as the clash of blades and what sounded like a plasma burst sounded in the background. "Listen Badd Axe and some HAMMER goons got into the Infirmary, when you get into the reactor core activate the reactor reset function, normally I would go through a more secure channel but I may not be conscious for that."

"Got it." Mamba answered as the doors crept open, quickly she darted inside and headed for the core, a glowing tube surrounded by a set of computers all of which seemed to measuring radiation levels. "Cardiac you could have told me where the reset button was." she asked angrily as the sounds of gun-fire joined the cacophony of sound. Randomly she chose a button that showed a button with a lightning bolt in a cage and pressed it before crossing her fingers. For a second the lights dimmed before coming back to full illumination as the tube rose revealing a glowing green man restrained by cables with a big disc on his forehead.

"Cardiac the source is Radioactive Man." Mamba said in surprise.

"Yes it is." Tony answered as more shots and a yell of anger sounded in the background, "I'm guessing you released the source?" he asked.

"Yes and judging from his lumbering nature he's not himself." Mamba replied smartly.

"Right again, there's a controller disc on his forehead. If you press the feed button, which looks like a radiation symbol in an orange orb he should be able to freed himself." Tony explained as something heavy fell to the floor, "One hour my ass Physique." he added, "Maybe some punk like Badd Axe but not me, Mamba are you there?" he asked as the clicking sound of a Geiger counter sounded in the background before falling silent as one by one all the lights and computers in the room blacked out.


End file.
